I started fermenting my first beer a week ago yesterday. It's an English bitter. I checked on it yesterday and it smells and tastes like mediocre beer. Should I leave it in the fermenter for another week or two before I bottle it, or just go ahead and bottle it now and let it mature in the bottle.

I have had plenty that smelled and tasted weird in the fermenter, but came out great after a few weeks of bottle conditioning. If they're still bad after a couple months in the bottle then maybe dump them.

Let it go. Beers all seem to taste grainy and a bit weird during fermentation and shortly thereafter. Chances are, yours is in this window. Wait it out and bottle it 3 weeks from the day you brewed it.

If it was only brewed 8 days ago, I'm not surprised that it tastes mediocre. It should taste much better after a few weeks conditioning and carbonating.
I'd leave it at least one more week, and preferably two before bottling. Your taste buds will thank you.

-a.

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